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Genesis 24:17 — Word Study

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WLCוַיָּ֥רָץ הָעֶ֖בֶד לִקְרָאתָ֑הּ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הַגְמִיאִ֥ינִי נָ֛א מְעַט־ מַ֖יִם מִכַּדֵּֽךְ׃

BSASo the servantʻebed [slave, bondservant] ranrûwts [hurried, rushed] and saidʼâmar Pleasenâʼ [I pray thee, kindly] let me havegâmâʼ a littlemᵉʻaṭ [small amount, few sips] watermayim [refreshment, liquid] from your jarkad [pitcher, vessel]

Word
Listen & take awayGenesis 24
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 17 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (mi.ka.Dekh) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Genesis 24:17quick helps
In a sentenceThe servant runs to meet the girl and requests a drink of water.
Who is speakingThe servant, acting on behalf of his master.
Where we areA moment of encounter at a well, where the servant seeks assistance.
The hard wordהַגְמִיאִ֥ינִי
Take awayThe servant's urgency and politeness in requesting a small favor.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Whedon & more — read them › clause verbרוּץ The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Genesis 24:17

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Encounter at the Wellgenerated

16Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.
17So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.”
18“Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
19After she had given him a drink, she said, “I will also draw water for your camels, until they have had enough to drink.”

Genesis 24:17 describes the servant's encounter with a beautiful girl at a well, where he requests a drink of water. This moment is significant as it sets the stage for the unfolding of God's plan regarding Isaac's future wife. The servant's actions reflect his commitment to his master's wishes and the importance of hospitality in the ancient Near East.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
11 Kings 17:10So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, so that I may drink.”
2John 4:7–9When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”
3Genesis 26:1–35Now there was another famine in the land, subsequent to the one that had occurred in Abraham’s time. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar.
4Isaiah 21:14Bring water for the thirsty, O dwellers of Tema; meet the refugees with food.
5Isaiah 30:25And from every high mountain and every raised hill, streams of water will flow in the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word הַגְמִיאִ֥ינִי, hag.mi.'I.nigenerated

The word גָּמָא (gama') means to swallow or drink, particularly liquids. It conveys the action of drinking and is often used in contexts involving the consumption of water or other fluids.

The imperative form here, הַגְמִיאִ֥ינִי, is a polite request directed at the girl, emphasizing the servant's urgency and need. This form is typical in Hebrew for making requests, showing respect and humility.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses let me have for the request.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb is וַיָּ֥רָץ, and he ran, which governs the action of the sentence. This is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the direction of his action and a clause that expresses what he said.

The structure emphasizes the servant's haste and the immediacy of his request, reflecting the urgency of the situation.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַיָּ֥רָץ as ἐπέδραμεν, which also means 'he ran.' This choice reflects a direct and energetic action, consistent with the Hebrew.

The Greek term used for הַגְמִיאִ֥ינִי is not present in the provided data, but the overall translation captures the servant's urgent request for water.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Genesis 24:17 tells us that the servant ran to meet a girl at the well and asked her to give him a little water from her jar. This moment is important as it leads to the selection of a wife for Isaac, showing the servant's dedication to his mission.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does the servant's request for water signify?

It signifies hospitality and the importance of the act of offering water in the culture of the time, as well as the servant's urgency in fulfilling his master's wishes.

Why does the servant run to meet her?

He runs to show urgency and eagerness in his mission to find a suitable wife for Isaac.

What does the word 'please' add to the request?

The word 'please' adds politeness and respect to the servant's request, indicating his humility and the importance of the interaction.

How does this encounter set the stage for the story?

This encounter is pivotal as it initiates the process of finding Isaac's wife, demonstrating God's providence and the servant's faithfulness.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What does this passage teach about the importance of hospitality?
  2. How can I show urgency in fulfilling my responsibilities?
  3. In what ways can I be polite and respectful when making requests?
  4. How does this story reflect God's guidance in our decisions?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Genesis 24:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the servant ran to meet her,.... He did not stop her as she went to the well, but stayed till she had been there and filled her pitcher, and then he made all the haste he could to meet her, in

Read John Gill on Genesis 24 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 24 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Genesis 24:17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.Ver. 17. And the servant ran to meet her.] For although he was at the well before, praying, yet, having stood at a distance till she had done drawing, he now ran to meet her. Though marriages are made in heaven, and a good wife must be sought of God, adhibenda tamen sunt media ordinaria et ordinata, yet due means must be used, &c.

Read John Trapp on Genesis 24 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

17. The servant ran — To him the fair young virgin appears all that he had desired and hoped to meet.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 24 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

The servant ran to meet her, and said, “Please give me a drink, a little water from your pitcher.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

So the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please let me have a little water from your jar.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

Abraham’s servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a sip of water from your jug.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Give me to drink, I pray thee, a little water from thy pitcher.

RVARevised Version, American1894

And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Give me to drink, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water from thy pitcher.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then the seruant ranne to meete her, and said, Let me drinke, I pray thee, a litle water of thy pitcher.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, sip a little water out of thy pitcher.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

And the servant runneth to meet her, and saith, 'Let me swallow, I pray thee, a little water from thy pitcher;'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

And the servant runs to meet her and says, “Please let me swallow a little water from your pitcher”;

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water out of thy pitcher.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then the servant ran to meet her and said, “Please give me a little drink of water from your pitcher.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And the servant ran to meet her, and said: Give me a little water to drink of thy pitcher.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

The servant ran over to meet her and asked, “Please let me drink a few sips of water from your jar.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And the servant came running to her and said, Give me a little water from your vessel.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וַandclauseverbיָּ֥רָץhe.rannoun phrase · subjectהָtheעֶ֖בֶדservantprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִtoclauseverbקְרָאתָ֑meetobjectהּherוַandclauseverbיֹּ֕אמֶרhe.saidclauseverbהַגְמִיאִ֥יgiveobjectנִיme.to.drinkadverbialנָ֛אpleasenoun phrase · second objectמְעַטa.littleמַ֖יִםof.waterprepositional phrase · prepositionalמִfromnoun phraseכַּדֵּֽjarךְyour

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch differ by one word: the Samaritan uses הגמיני instead of הַגְמִיאִ֥ינִי, which alters the nuance of the request slightly but retains the overall meaning.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַיָּ֥רָץ הָעֶ֖בֶד לִקְרָאתָ֑הּ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר הַגְמִיאִ֥ינִי נָ֛א מְעַט־ מַ֖יִם מִכַּדֵּֽךְ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַיָּ֥רָץἐπέδραμενהָעֶ֖בֶדπαῖςלִקְרָאתָ֑הּαὐτῆςוַיֹּ֕אמֶרεἶπενהַגְמִיאִ֥ינִיμεמְעַט־μικρὸνמַ֖יִםὕδωρמִכַּדֵּֽךְ׃σου

8 of the 9 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Samaritan Pentateuchthe Torah as the Samaritan community kept it

וירץ העבד לקראתה ויאמר הגמיני נא מעט מים מכדך

1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: הגמיני (swallow)

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Genesis 24:17רוּץand he ranand he ranרוּץעֶ֫בֶדthe servantthe servantעֶ֫בֶדקָרָאto meet herto meet herקָרָאאָמַרand he saidand he saidאָמַרגָּמָאgive to drigive to drink mגָּמָאנָאpleasepleaseנָאמְעַטa little ofa little ofמְעַטמַיwaterwaterמַיכַּדfrom jar yofrom jar yourכַּדעָבַדto serveto serveעָבַדמָעַטto diministo diminishמָעַטקָרָאto encountto encounter: mקָרָאאָמָהmaidservanmaidservantאָמָהשִׁפְחָהmaidservanmaidservantשִׁפְחָהרוּץto run: ruto run: runרוּץעָרַךְto arrangeto arrangeעָרַךְכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/Godיהוהחֵןfavorfavorחֵןעַתָּ֫הnownowעַתָּ֫התְּנוּמָהslumberslumberתְּנוּמָהשֵׁנָהsleepsleepשֵׁנָהרָחַץto wash: wto wash: washרָחַץשָׁתָהto drinkto drinkשָׁתָהקֶ֫מַחflourflourקֶ֫מַחמָהַרto hastento hastenמָהַר
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Genesis 24:17

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and he ran the servant to meet her and he said give to drink me please a little of water from jar your
וַיָּ֥רָץvai.Ya.rotz and he ran H7323 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
103× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To run or rush, often used to describe someone moving quickly, as seen in the story of the runners in Jeremiah 51:31. This verb appears in various forms, including running swiftly or darting. It is used to convey a sense of urgency or haste.
Amplified meaning
hurried, rushed
Tyndale gloss
to run: run
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רוּץ (ruts) means to run, encompassing various nuances such as running swiftly or causing someone to run away. It is a primitive root that can imply actions like breaking down or dividing quickly. The word appears in different forms, including participles for runners or messengers. There is some overlap in definitions across lexicons, but they consistently focus on the core idea of running.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רוּץ vb. run

Qal

run

pl. the runners (prop. out-runners)

runner = (royal messenger, post, late)

Pō‛lēl they run swiftly, dart

Hiph. cause to run

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7323 רוּץ run

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7323 ruwts roots

a primitive root; to run (for whatever reason, especially to

rush):--break down, divide speedily, footman, guard, bring

hastily, (make) run (away, through), post.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רוּץ (ruts) — to run: run.

: run/runner/messenger

1) to run

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to run

1a2) runners (participle as subst)

1b) (Polel) to run swiftly, dart

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to bring or move quickly, hurry

1c2) to drive away from, cause to run away

רוּץ (ruts) — to run: guard.

: guard

1) to run

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to run

1a2) runners (participle as subst)

1b) (Polel) to run swiftly, dart

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to bring or move quickly, hurry

1c2) to drive away from, cause to run away

רוּץ (ruts) — to run: pieces.

: pieces

1) to run

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to run

1a2) runners (participle as subst)

1b) (Polel) to run swiftly, dart

1c) (Hiphil)

1c1) to bring or move quickly, hurry

1c2) to drive away from, cause to run away

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
and he ran the servant to meet her and he said give to drink me please a little of water from jar your
הָעֶ֖בֶדha.'E.ved the servant H5650 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
801× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a servant or slave, often in the context of serving God or a human master. It can also describe a prophet or Levite. The KJV translates it as bondage, bondman, or servant.
Amplified meaning
slave, bondservant
Tyndale gloss
servant/slave
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עֶ֫בֶד (*ebed*) means 'slave' or 'servant' and encompasses various roles, including household servants, subjects, and worshippers of God. It can also refer to Israel as a collective servant of God and is used in polite address among equals. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to work' or 'to serve'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עֶ֫בֶד 799 n.m. slave, servant

slave, servant of household

Subjects, of chief

Servants, worshippers of God

Servant of י׳, in a special sense

Israel as a people is servant of י׳

In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5650 עֶ֫בֶד slave, servant . slave, servant of household

. Subjects, of chief

. Servants, worshippers of God

. Servant of י׳, in a special sense

. Israel as a people is servant of י׳

. In polite address of equals or superiors the Hebrews used עַבְדְּךָ thy servant = 1 pers. sing., I

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5650 `ebed eh'-bed

from 5647; a servant:--X bondage, bondman, (bond-)servant,

(man-)servant.

see HEBREW for 05647

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עֶ֫בֶד (e.ved) — servant/slave.

1) slave, servant

1a) slave, servant, man-servant

1b) subjects

1c) servants, worshippers (of God)

1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc)

1e) servant (of Israel)

1f) servant (as form of address between equals)

Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (עֲבַד "servant/slave" H5649)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sur'-vant ('ebhedh; doulos): A very common word with a variety of meanings, all implying a greater or less degree of inferiority and want of freedom:

(1) The most frequent usage is as the equivalent of "slave" (which see), with its various shades in position (Ge 9:25; 24:9; Ex 21:5; Mt 10:24; Lu 17:7, and often); but also a hired workman where "hired servant" translates Hebrew and Greek expressions which differ from the above.

(2) An attendant in the service of someone, as Joshua was the "servant" the Revised Version (British and American) "minister" of Moses (Nu 11:28).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[SLAVE]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

This word sometimes denotes a man who voluntarily dedicates himself to the service of another. Thus Joshua was the servant of Moses; Elisha of Elijah; and Peter, Andrew, Philip, and Paul were servants of Jesus Christ. The servants of Pharaoh, of Saul, and of David, were their subjects in general, and their court officers and counselors in particular. The Philistines, Syrians, and other nation were servants of David, that is, they obeyed and paid him tribute. The servants of God are those who are devoted to his service and obey his holy word.

In its primary sense, the word usually means in the Bible either a hired servant, or one whose service was the property of his master for a limited time and under various restrictions. Joseph is the first whom we read of as sold into bondage, Ge 37:27,28. The households of some of the early…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Distinguish a bondservant (Greek: doulos), who was a slave, from a hired servant (Greek: diakonos), who was not a slave

→ BOND

Laws of Moses concerning Ex 21:1-11,20,21,26,27,32; Le 19:20-22; 25:6,10,35-55; De 15:12,14,18; 24:7

Kidnapping forbidden De 21:10-14; 24:7; 1Ti 1:10; Re 18:13

Fugitive, not to be returned to his master De 23:15,16

David erroneously supposed to be a fugitive slave 1Sa 25:10

Instances of fugitive

and he ran the servant to meet her and he said give to drink me please a little of water from jar your
לִקְרָאתָ֑הּlik.ra.Tah to meet her H7122 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
139× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means to encounter or meet someone, either by chance or on purpose. It can describe a friendly meeting or a hostile one. In Exodus, the Israelites encountered God on Mount Sinai.
Tyndale gloss
to encounter: meet
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word קָרָא (*qara'*) is a primitive root meaning to encounter or meet, often unexpectedly. It encompasses various nuances, including to befall or happen by chance. The verb appears in different forms: Qal (to meet), Niphal (to meet unexpectedly), and Hiphil (to cause to meet). Brown-Driver-Briggs notes its use in a figurative sense as well.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[קָרָא] 137 vb. encounter, befall

Qal 131

meet, encounter

fig. befall

Niph. meet unexpectedly

Hiph. thou didst cause all this evil to befall them

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7122 קָרָא encounter, befall

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7122 qara' kaw-raw'

a primitive root: to encounter, whether accidentally or in a

hostile manner:--befall, (by) chance, (cause to) come (upon),

fall out, happen, meet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

קָרָא (qa.ra) — to encounter: meet.

: meet

1) to encounter, befall, meet

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to meet, encounter

1a2) to befall (fig)

1b) (Niphal) to meet, meet unexpectedly

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to meet

קָרָא (qa.ra) — to encounter: toward.

: toward/(come)against

1) to encounter, befall, meet

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to meet, encounter

1a2) to befall (fig)

1b) (Niphal) to meet, meet unexpectedly

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to meet

קָרָא (qa.ra) — to encounter: chanced.

: happen[unexpectedly]

1) to encounter, befall, meet

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to meet, encounter

1a2) to befall (fig)

1b) (Niphal) to meet, meet unexpectedly

1c) (Hiphil) to cause to meet

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Vqcc/Sp3fs — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common · suffix
HR/Vqcc/Sp3fs
and he ran the servant to meet her and he said give to drink me please a little of water from jar your
וַיֹּ֕אמֶרvai.Yo.mer and he said H559 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and he ran the servant to meet her and he said give to drink me please a little of water from jar your
הַגְמִיאִ֥ינִיhag.mi.'I.ni give to drink me H1572 Verb hiphil imperative second person feminine singular · suffix
2× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to swallow or absorb liquids, like drinking water. It appears in the Bible when describing actions like swallowing or gulping. In the KJV, it is translated as swallow or drink.
Tyndale gloss
to swallow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גָּמָא (gama') is a Hebrew verb meaning to swallow, particularly liquids. It can also imply drinking, with specific forms indicating different nuances, such as the Piel and Hiphil stems. The entries suggest a literal and figurative range of absorption, including a reference to a horse's swift gallop in the Brown-Driver-Briggs lexicon.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[גָּמָא] vb. swallow (liquids)

Pi. fig. of horse in swift gallop

Hiph. let me drink a little water, pray

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1572 גָּמָא swallow (liquids)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1572 gama' gaw-maw'

a primitive root (literally or figuratively) to

absorb:--swallow, drink.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גָּמָא (ga.ma) — to swallow.

1) to swallow (liquids)

1a) (Piel) to swallow

1b) (Hiphil) to drink

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Hiphil-Impv-2fs | Suff — Verb hiphil imperative second person feminine singular · suffix
HVhv2fs/Sp1bs
and he ran the servant to meet her and he said give to drink me please a little of water from jar your
נָ֛אna' please H4994 Particle
404× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'nâ'' is used to express a polite request, like 'please' or 'I pray', and is often added to verbs to make them more polite. In the Bible, it appears in passages like Ezra's reading of the law to the people.
Amplified meaning
I pray thee, kindly
Tyndale gloss
please
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָא (na') is a Hebrew particle used primarily for entreaty or exhortation, meaning 'I pray,' 'now,' or 'please.' It often appears attached to verbs in the imperative or future forms, and can also modify interjections, adverbs, or conjunctions. The entries consistently emphasize its role in expressing a plea or request.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָא part. of entreaty or exhortation, I (we) pray, now (enclitic)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4994 נָא I (we) pray, now (enclitic)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4994 na' naw

a primitive particle of incitement and entreaty, which may

usually be rendered: "I pray," "now," or "then"; added mostly

to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections,

occasionally to an adverb or conjunction:--I beseech (pray)

thee (you), go to, now, oh.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָא (na) — please.

1) I (we) pray, now, please

1a) used in entreaty or exhortation

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part — Particle
HTj
and he ran the servant to meet her and he said give to drink me please a little of water from jar your
מְעַט־me.'at- a little of H4592 Noun common · masculine singular construct
101× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means something is small or little in amount, like a few people or a short time. It appears in various Bible translations as almost, few, or small. In the Bible, it often describes something that is limited or lacking.
Amplified meaning
small amount, few sips
Tyndale gloss
little
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מְעַט (m`at) refers to something that is small in quantity or degree, encompassing meanings like 'a little' or 'few.' It can be used adverbially to indicate a small amount or to describe something as almost or hardly. The term is derived from a root meaning 'to be small' and is associated with concepts of littleness and fewness.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מְעַט 101 subst. a little, fewness, a few

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4592 מְעַט a little, fewness, a few

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4592 m`at meh-at'

or miat {meh-awt'}; from 4591; a little or few (often

adverbial or compar.):--almost (some, very) few(-er, -est),

lightly, little (while), (very) small (matter, thing), some,

soon, X very.

see HEBREW for 04591

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מְעַט (me.at) — little.

1) littleness, few, a little, fewness

1a) little, small, littleness, fewness, too little, yet a little

1b) like a little, within a little, almost, just, hardly, shortly, little worth

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

and he ran the servant to meet her and he said give to drink me please a little of water from jar your
מַ֖יִםMa.yim water H4325 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
581× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Amplified meaning
refreshment, liquid
Tyndale gloss
Water (Gate)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4325 mayim mah'-yim

dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense);

water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+

piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מַי (ma.yim) — water.

1) water, waters

1a) water

1b) water of the feet, urine

1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)

מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).

This name means water, refreshment

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

wo'-ter (mayim; hudor):

(1) The Greek philosophers believed water to be the original substance and that all things were made from it. The Koran states, "From water we have made all things." In the story of the creation (Ge 1:2) water plays an elemental part.

(2) Because of the scarcity of water in Palestine it is especially appreciated by the people there. They love to go and sit by a stream of running water. Men long for a taste of the water of their native village (1Ch 11:17). A town or village is known throughout the country for the quality of its water, which is described by many adjectives, such as "light," "heavy," etc.

(3) The rainfall is the only source of supply of water for Palestine. The moisture is carried up from the sea in clouds and falls on the hills as rain or snow.…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See CISTERN and WELLS.

In Isa 35:7, the Hebrew word for "parched ground" that shall become a pool of water, is the same with the Arabic term for the mirage, a peculiar optical illusion by which travelers in hot and dry deserts think they see broad lakes and flowing waters; they seem to discern the very ripple of the waves, and the swaying of tail trees on the margin in the cool breeze; green hills and houses and city ramparts rise before the astonished sight, recede as the traveler advances, and at length melt away in the hot haze. Not so the blessings of the gospel; they are no alluring mockery, but real waters of everlasting life, Isa 55:1 Joh 4:14 Re 22:1. Compare

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Creation of Ps 148:4,5

→ Covered the whole earth Ge 1:9

→ Daily allowance of Eze 4:11

→ City waterworks 2Ki 20:20

→ Vision of, by Ezekiel Eze 47:1-5

→ Of separation Nu 19:2-22

→ Libation of 1Sa 7:6

→ Irrigation with

See IRRIGATION

→ Miraculously supplied

To the Israelites Ex 17:1,6; Nu 20:11

To Samson Jud 15:19

Torrey's New Topical Textbook

- One of the elements of the world

Ge 1:2

- GOD ORIGINALLY

. Created the firmament to divide

Ge 1:6,7

. Collected into one place

Ge 1:9

. Created fowls and fishes, &c from

Ge 1:20,21

- Necessary to vegetation

Ge 2:5,6; Job 14:9; Isa 1:30

- Some plants particularly require

Job 8:11

- Necessary to the comfort and happiness of man

Isa 41:17; Zec 9:11

- COLLECTED IN

. Springs

and he ran the servant to meet her and he said give to drink me please a little of water from jar your
מִכַּדֵּֽךְ׃mi.ka.Dekh from jar your H3537 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
18× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A jar is a container made of clay, used for storing liquids or foods. In Mark 14:13, Jesus sends His disciples to find a man carrying a jar of water. This word is also used in Luke 22:10 to describe a container for water.
Amplified meaning
pitcher, vessel
Tyndale gloss
jar
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כַּד (kad) refers to a jar, specifically a large, portable container typically made of earthenware. The word is derived from an unused root meaning to deepen, and it is used in domestic contexts, often indicating a vessel for holding liquids.

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3537 כַּד jar

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3537 kad kad

from an unused root meaning to deepen; properly, a pail; but

generally of earthenware; a jar for domestic

purposes:--barrel, pitcher.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כַּד (kad) — jar.

jar, large jar (portable)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fs | Suff — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncfsc/Sp2fs
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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